Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with scarring.
Hypertrophic scar is a common, important medical problem in any healing process; however it is a critical determinant of outcomes in recovery from major burns. Up to 90% of severely burned patients have hypertrophic scarring (estimated at nearly a million/year).
More specifically, hypertrophic scars (HS) are exuberant, pathological growths of scar tissue resulting in bulky, inelastic masses that restrict movement and cause a multitude of morbidities. However, there is little effective treatment for HS, other than surgical revision, and this problem remains a major issue in burn wound therapy.
One such patent is U.S. Pat. No. 7,300,916, issued to Yasuda, et al. entitled, “Preventives/remedies for thickened scar, keloid or chronic arthritic diseases.” Briefly, these inventors are said to teach a pharmaceutical preparation for preventing and/or treating hypertrophic scars, keloid or chronic arthritic diseases comprising as an effective component an erythropoietin antagonist. Specifically, a pharmaceutical preparation is provided for preventing and/or treating hypertrophic scars, keloid or chronic arthritic diseases comprising as an effective component an erythropoietin antagonist such as an anti-erythropoietin antibody, an erythropoietin receptor protein, etc. It is said that the pharmaceutical preparation has excellent prophylactic and/or therapeutic effects on collagenous hyperproliferation such as hypertrophic scars, keloid, etc., or chronic arthritic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, etc.
Another such approach is taught in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0234250, filed by Capone, et al., and entitled “Methods and Compositions for Improving Appearance and Formation of Scar Tissue.” Briefly, the invention is said to include methods and compositions for degrading collagen in mammalian skin, thereby improving the appearance and/or reducing the size of a closed wound, which may be a scar or a keloid and cellulite or other conditions wherein excessive collagen is a problem with a composition comprising at least one ureido polymer in an amount effective to degrade said collagen.